Kuwaiti Red Lentil Soup (shaurabat Adas)

Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 15 mins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups split red lentils
• water
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup butter (olive oil or ghee or samneh)
• 4 -5 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 potato, half cooked, peeled and cubed
• 2 teaspoons baharat (baharat aka middle east mixed spices - the real mix)
• 3/4 teaspoon coriander, freshly ground
• 2 dashes turmeric powder
• 2 cups fresh tomatoes, peeled & chopped
• 2 dried black limes (loomi, found in some middle eastern shops)
• sea salt, to taste
• lemon wedge, to serve

Recipe

• 1 in a frying pan, heat butter or olive oil etc. and add the finely chopped onion. fry gently until transparent, do not brown. stir in garlic and spices (not sea salt), cook a few seconds, then add chopped fresh tomatoes.
• 2 pick over lentils, place in a sieve and rinse under cold running water. put into a large pot and add 6 cups water. bring to the boil, skimming off the scum.
• 3 once the lentils and water have come to the boil, add the onion mixture along with the dried black limes, each pierced twice with a skewer or a fork (do not use a knife as i did that before and the loomis broke in half with the simmering and the soup was a pretty strong loomi flavour), also add the chopped, half cooked potato in now.
• 4 return to the boil and boil gently, uncovered, for 40 minutes. [this seems long for split red lentils - i think you could get by with less time] add sea salt to taste, and a little more water if soup looks too thick. simmer gently for a further 25-30 minutes, uncovered, until the lentils and potato are tender. stiring occasionally.
• 5 serve hot in deep bowls with lemon wedges on the side to squeeze on to individual portions. serve with khoubiz (flat bread), salad, and pickles for a lovely light arabian meal.
• 6 enjoy!